Can you briefly explain freeze-drying technology, especially how OFD has innovated with its LyoLock™ technology?
Freeze-drying, also known as lyophilization, is an advanced preservation method that removes moisture from products to retain their stability, potency, and viability over time. OFD has been pioneering this technology for over 60 years, utilizing it to enhance the shelf-life and effectiveness of supplements, pharmaceuticals, enzymes, nutraceuticals, and even meals. The process is inspired by ancient practices, like those of the Incas, who discovered that high-altitude, cold-drying preserved vegetables. We’ve essentially shortened and modernized this process, removing water from materials while preserving cellular structure and function (suspended viability), which maintains the nutritional and structural integrity of the original product.
OFD builds and validates our own freeze dryers to meet regulatory standards for FDA materials, food, and supplements. Our commitment to sustainability extends to finding ways to reduce energy use, such as adjusting tray materials and control mechanisms to optimize moisture removal while locking in their respective active components. Through LyoLock, our team has developed freeze-drying systems that achieve these goals efficiently, benefiting both consumers and the environment by delivering a product with minimal energy impact.
How does freeze-drying aid in food preservation, especially for remote locations?
Freeze-dried meals are ideal for remote areas due to their long shelf life, lightweight nature, and lack of preservatives. This technology was integral in NASA’s Apollo missions, providing astronauts with nutritious, stable food. It’s also highly relevant in addressing global hunger and food security issues.
Freeze-drying ensures that food can be transported to remote areas without the need for refrigeration or preservatives, maintaining its nutritional value and stability even in extreme climates.
Our packaging is recyclable, UV-resistant, and protects against moisture and oxygen, making it cost-effective to transport. Freeze-drying also allows us to enhance foods with bioactive ingredients, like probiotics or anthocyanins, to address specific health needs. As personalized nutrition grows, freeze-drying offers a way to tailor food to specific conditions, making it invaluable in global hunger and health initiatives.
Can you explain the development and potential of Lyopastille®, your oral vaccine delivery technology?
Lyopastille® represents a breakthrough in oral vaccine delivery. Our patent-pending innovative low cost process is designed to produce a new oral quick-dissolvable platform with specific emphasis on precise dosage and preservation of biological activity. We have verified the key parameters in stabilizing many biologics. We first demonstrated this innovation in partnership with a well recognized non-profit organization.. We collaboratively developed a dissolvable format to deliver vaccines affordably and efficiently, especially in areas where traditional cold-chain logistics are prohibitive. Originally created for a measles vaccine, the quick dissolving format offers a stable, cost-effective alternative to injections. The COVID pandemic highlighted the limitations and costs associated with injectable vaccines, particularly with respect to cold chain distribution and storage, which can represent a significant increase in cost of vaccine.
Lyopastille® allows for high-dose production—up to 3 million doses per batch—at a fraction of the cost of traditional pharmaceutical quick-dissolve technology. This new Lyopastille® can be tailored for sublingual, buccal, or even inhalation delivery, offering flexible applications for vaccines and other pharmaceuticals. This innovation lowers manufacturing costs, simplifies distribution, and supports broader access to essential vaccines worldwide, with ongoing development for applications like naloxone for fentanyl overdose treatment.
With the rise of microbiome research, how does OFD address the challenges and opportunities in this field?
The microbiome is a frontier where freeze-drying has made significant contributions. Many beneficial bacteria and bioactive compounds are heat and/or oxygen sensitive, making freeze-drying ideal for preserving these live cultures without compromising their effectiveness. With advancements in AI, we can now analyze individual microbiomes to personalize supplements and treatments effectively. This precision allows us to address unique needs, blending prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics into a single, stable delivery format.
Our Lyopastille® technology offers a flexible platform for combining bioactives, supporting gut health and potentially influencing both physical and mental well-being. As research advances, the intersection of AI and freeze-drying could enable highly personalized health solutions, where a tailored combination of bioactives could address specific microbiome deficiencies identified through personal health data.
How far are we from a future where AI-enabled personalized nutrition and supplements are common?
The future of AI-driven personalized nutrition is closer than ever, but it will require collaboration across industries. At OFD, we excel at stabilizing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)s for finished products, but we rely on partners specializing in AI and biotech to identify specific nutritional needs. By combining our freeze-drying capabilities with AI-driven insights, we can create tailored supplements or functional foods designed to meet individual health requirements, bridging the gap between medical products and daily nutrition.
In the near future, this collaboration could enable fusion products—foods augmented with essential nutrients based on personalized data. This approach would support both health and sustainability by reducing the need for excessive supplements or additives, offering consumers precisely what their bodies’ need.
What steps are OFD taking to educate both the public and industry about freeze-drying’s benefits?
As a private company, OFD’s historic outreach has been limited and therefore focused on promotion of our branded retail product line, Mountain House®, geared towards outdoor adventure and emergency preparedness. Now, with greater resources, we’re actively expanding awareness of freeze-drying’s potential in other market segments we serve, participating in events and conferences like Supply Side West to reach industries spanning from consumer health to pharmaceuticals. We emphasize that freeze-drying retains flavors, color, nutrients and bioactives to be effectively absorbed, making it a key tool in both the supplement and food industries.
Our goal is to position freeze-drying not just as a preservation method but as a technology for health and wellness. We’re focusing on educating both customers and end users.about its benefits.Healthcare professionals in particular need information about how freeze-dried supplements can offer potent, stable nutrient delivery without the need for synthetic additives, enhancing the potential for holistic, nutrient-based health support.
How does OFD view the future of supplements and diet as tools for health?
We see supplements and diet as complementary. While freeze-dried supplements can provide targeted nutrients, they should support—not replace—a healthy diet. Many consumers view supplements as quick fixes, but a balanced diet remains essential. For instance, Lyopastille® may allow us to reduce the number of pills someone needs to take by combining multiple ingredients into one stable format, but it’s not a “magic pill” that replaces proper nutrition.
Education is key, not just for consumers but also for doctors. By fostering partnerships with healthcare providers, we hope to promote a more integrated approach where diet and supplementation work together to enhance well-being. Our vision is to make freeze-drying an accessible part of this holistic health approach, allowing for more natural, effective solutions in a sustainable manner.
How does OFD navigate the gap between over-the-counter supplements and prescribed medications?
There’s a significant gap between conventional medical practices and the potential benefits of over-the-counter supplements, especially in the U.S. and U.K. Often, doctors default to prescriptions without considering supplement-based alternatives. We see freeze-drying as a bridge, providing stable, effective products that can complement traditional treatments.
One of our goals is to help shift the focus from solely prescription-based care to preventive health through supplements. Personalized testing can pinpoint specific nutrient deficiencies, making supplementation more precise and effective. We believe that at this point in the history of melding medical, nutritional and personalized health solutions, freeze-drying can be instrumental in this evolution by offering solutions that are stable, accessible, and scientifically validated to support both preventative and complementary healthcare.
